It throws you to the elements, forces you through electric shocks, and douses you in frigid water—and you can’t get enough of it. Well, challenge accepted: Tough Mudder promises a bigger and badder 2013, raising the bar with three new obstacles and nine new courses.

Here’s the lowdown on each one, plus annual high and low temps so you’ll know what to expect and how to dress. Each one will push your mental and physical endurance to the edge, but no one gets off easy — every course is carefully engineered to be an equal conquest. So get out there. We dare you. >>>

Chicago, IL

The private Seneca Hunt Club will be transformed into the latest Mudder creation on their 715-acre wildlife grounds. Come rain, shine or lake effect snow, Chi-town already has a 200+ strong training group counting down the days.

Jacksonville, FL

Getting your hands dirty is nothing new for the site of the Jacksonville course. Once an early 1900’s logging community, Hog Waller Mud Bog is now a massive mud pit offering a camping space and an ATV track.

Virginia Beach, VA

Tackling this course guarantees you’ll feel like a true American—it claims to be on the site of America’s first Thanksgiving. And Tough Mudder promises that "Berkeley Plantation boasts badass terrain, tons of mud, and great scenery." That's something to be very thankful for.

Rural Oregon

Oregon’s rugged wilderness makes this a natural choice for the next Tough Mudder, and the varied terrains may offer up any number of challenges: dense forests, volcanoes, and major rivers can all be found within a three-hour drive from Portland.

Pittsburgh, PA

With a bike trail running 245 miles to Washington D.C., flights of stairs scattered throughout the city, and the steep hills that make up its neighborhoods, there’s no doubt Pittsburgh residents are an active crew. Taking the city’s stake in steel production into account, this Tough Mudder event is bound to boast a seriously badass group.

St. Louis, MO

Thanks to its generally flat land and a humid summer climate, September in Missouri has a range of weather—everything from heavy rain to hot sun. Shamrock One, situated an hour and a half outside the city, offers a course canvas of unobstructed terrain.

Charlotte, NC

In an effort to create a better, tougher course, Tough Mudder is switching up its course location in the Tar Heel State. November in Charlotte can bring chillier temperatures and occasional ice storms. Be prepared. To get a taste of this year’s Tough Mudder, check out the Carolina event’s video from October 2012, held at the Moree’s Sportsman’s Preserve. And stay tuned for 2013’s new venue.

Cage Crawl

WHAT IT IS: Scaling a 40-foot chain-link fence? No problem. Scaling a 40-foot chain-link fence while horizontal in a water-filled trench with only 10 inches of breathing room? That’s Mudder status. Participants must press their face against the cage and pull their body backward to get to the opening on the opposite side. No one will blame you for taking a Shawshank moment when you reach freedom.

SKILLS YOU NEED: Swimming, mental grit

Tough Mudder

Balls to the Walls

WHAT IT IS: Not the gym class activity you might remember, this 15-foot climb and descent is more like Navy Seal training. Participants use the face of the wall to plant their feet while using their arm strength to pull themselves up and over it—crushing any fear of heights in the process.

SKILLS YOU NEED: Upper body strength, hand strength, agility

Tough Mudder

Just the Tip 3.0

WHAT IT IS: You scaled it, you mastered it—then they made it tougher. Last year participants inched across narrow strips of wood over a pit of water, using only the tips of their fingers and toes. Version 3.0 adds wider spacing between the wood, or removes them all together. When Tough Mudder says Just The Tip, they mean Just The Tip.